Bonnie Galat. M.B.A. Class of 1981. George Washington University. Investment Officer.

Bonnie’s parents were born in Russia. Her mother came to New York as a young child; her father came via Manchuria and Paris, arriving in New York with his Ph.D. in chemistry during the 1930s. In 1952, Bonnie was born in Yonkers, New York. Her parents still live in the house she grew up in.

Bonnie describes her childhood as stable and happy. Education was important for all three children in the household. Along with her siblings, Bonnie was encouraged to explore her natural talent and follow her interests. She loved foreign languages and had a great interest in foreign cultures and seeing the world. At the age of 16, she began traveling internationally, and has never stopped.

Despite the turmoil and distractions of the 1960s, Bonnie was able to first earn a B.A. in foreign languages from Boston University. She then earned an M.S. in linguistics from Georgetown University.

She had been teaching French and English as a foreign language for a few years when the thought of another career crossed her mind – a job where she could use her fluency in languages and, at the same time, be involved in international issues.

With help from a federal student loan, Bonnie earned her M.B.A. from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. In 1982, she changed jobs and launched a career in international banking and finance.

Her first stop took her to New York City where she had a ten-year career in commercial banking. She followed that up by joining the World Bank’s International Securities Group. Twenty years after changing careers, she’s a Principal Investment Officer and Team Leader at the International Finance Corporation.

To this day, Bonnie goes out of her way to include cross-cultural experiences in her life with her husband and two daughters.